Sharing the Dream
by Hana Noir
Summary: Sequel to Different Hearts, Same Dream. *Story COMPLETE!!!* Piccolo explains the 'facts of life' and Korin brings some not-so-good news.
1. Part One: A Wish Comes True

Sharing the Dream

Sequel to "Different Hearts, Same Dream"

A DragonBall Z fanfic by Hana Noir

Piccolo stood on the platform of the Tenka, with Dende and Mr. Popo standing a respectful distance behind him. At his feet were scattered the bright orbs of the Dragonballs. He took a deep breath, stabilizing himself for what was to come. He had waited six months for the Dragonballs to become active again, and it had taken another three months to find them all. He had cut it close, but now his goal was at hand. He reached into the pouch at his waist and pulled out the final glowing orb, placing it with the rest. Then he took several steps back. Now…

"I summon you, Shenlong!!" he cried out, the wind whipping his cape wildly behind him. "Come forth and grant my wish!" Dende and Mr. Popo shielded their eyes from the incandescent light that burst from the orbs and arched skyward. The clouds turned dark and thunder boomed ominously as lightning danced from cloud to cloud. Piccolo stood his ground, narrowing his eyes at the brilliant light. 

**Who has summoned me here? **the voice of the massive dragon was deafening on both aural and mental levels. 

"I did," Piccolo shouted above the echo of the voice.

**I shall grant thee two wishes. Speak quickly.**

Piccolo took a deep breath. This was it. The moment he had obsessed over for the last nine months. "I only have one wish, great Shenlong. I wish for Kyrie to be returned to life." He stared up at the coils of the immense spirit, but did not see them. All he saw was her. He squared his shoulders, trying to contain himself. 

The dragon hung suspended for a moment, then he nodded his huge head. **It shall be done. **His eyes glowed white hot for a moment, then a figure appeared in the middle of the gathered Dragonballs. Dende and Mr. Popo both leaned forward for a better look at the human female who had managed to befriend Piccolo. She stepped out of the light, her smile almost as radiant. A white toga-like garment hung from one shoulder, leaving the other bare. The wild wind tossed the strands of her auburn hair about her face, obscuring her eyes. 

Piccolo stared in amazement. He had halfway convinced himself that something would go wrong, and now, here she was. The only other person on this planet who could lay claim to part of his heart was standing before him, holding out her hand. He moved forward, reaching out to run his fingers through the fine hair at her temples. 

"You really brought me back," she whispered with awe, covering his hand with her own. Piccolo let out the breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding. He started to speak, only to be interrupted.

**Your wish has been granted. I bid thee farewell. **Then, to Piccolo's shock, the Dragon tilted his head down, and spoke again. **Guard her well. **There was an explosion and a great flash of light and the Dragonballs shot off into the air. 

"What was that about?" Dende asked Piccolo, slightly concerned. The Dragon had never said anything like that before and it unnerved the young Kami. 

"I don't know," Piccolo said gruffly, a bit annoyed that everyone was butting in on his moment. 

_C'est la vie,_ came a laughing voice in his mind. Obsidian eyes met emerald, then they both grinned. 

_For some unknown reason, _he replied in the same manner, _I've actually missed your smart ass comments. _

"Dende, this is Kyrie," Piccolo said aloud when the younger Namek nudged him. He scowled down at Dende, who grinned unrepentantly. 

"I'm very pleased to meet you," Dende said, bowing slightly. "I've wanted to for some time now." He glanced back over his shoulder at his still silent aide and smirked. "That's Mr. Popo."

Kyrie smiled. "It's nice to meet you both." She finally took note of her surroundings. "Wh-where are we?"

"The Tenka," Piccolo replied, smirking when her eyes grew wide with surprise. "Dende is also the Kami of Earth." 

"Interesting company you keep," she said, surveying the platform again. The capricious wind caught the hem of the flowing robe she was wearing and blew it upward. "Whoa!" she exclaimed, trying to hold the thing down.

"If you'll come with me," Dende said, offering his hand, "I'm sure we can find you something more suitable to wear." Kyrie nodded and took his hand, allowing him to lead her into the building. Mr. Popo trailed along behind them, murmuring something about tea. 

"Okay, when did I lose control of the situation?" Piccolo muttered as he watched them walk away. 

Kyrie glanced back over her shoulder, grinning. _Did you have it to begin with?_

Night had fallen before they had a chance to talk again. Piccolo found her sitting in the shadows behind the main building, her feet dangling over the edge of the platform. Her face was obscured by the darkness, so that he couldn't see her expression when he joined her. 

"Hi," she said softly, gesturing for him to join her. He sat down slowly, watching her for any hint of her mood. 

"What're you doing out here?" he asked, curious as to why she was sitting all alone.

"I just needed a minute to adjust," she replied, the dark silhouette of her hand rising to tuck an errant lock of hair behind her ear. "It's been a long day. And Dende-sama and Mr. Popo are very nice, but still…" She shrugged, unable to explain the need to be alone. 

"I'll let you have a few more minutes," Piccolo said gruffly, starting to rise. He blinked when her hand caught him in mid-motion. 

"No, please. Stay with me a while," she said, looking up at him. He nodded and sat back down. 

"How long…" her voice trailed off, unable to finish the question. 

"Nine months," he said. "I had to wait six months for the balls to become active again, and then it took me three more to find them all."

"I see."

"Do you remember anything?" Piccolo was curious enough to ask.

She shook her head. "It was like being asleep. I closed my eyes there in the forest with you. And when I opened them again, there was a funny old woman waiting there for me."

"Baba," Piccolo stated.

"Yes, that was her name," Kyrie said. "She waited with me while you summoned the Dragon." They sat there for several more minutes, neither speaking, merely enjoying the company. "It's strange," she finally said, moving closer to Piccolo. He awkwardly put an arm around her shoulders as she curled up against his side. He was still surprised by the casual way she touched him. 

"What is?"

"I didn't expect to come back," she admitted. "Of course, I didn't know anything about the Dragonballs at the time, but still…" She tilted her head up to look at him. "Did you miss me that much?"

Piccolo was taken by surprise. He hadn't given it much consideration, but he had missed her. Very much, in fact. It wasn't easy for him to admit to his feelings and even more difficult to express them, but he couldn't deny the earnest face staring up at him. "I… I did," he finally managed to get out. She responded by wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her head on his chest. She could hear the odd beating of his heart and it gave her pause for a second. Unlike a human heart, his had a triple beat. Its' cadence was very soothing and she closed her eyes, focusing on the sound. Piccolo watched as she slid into sleep, a slight smile on his face. Then he gently gathered her up in his arms and carried her inside to the room that was waiting.

The next day, Kyrie rose early, padding out barefoot to watch the glorious sunrise. It was like being surrounded by light as the sun's rays bathed the Tenka in radiance. She closed her eyes and held out her arms, feeling a warm breeze caress her body. Piccolo had been meditating when he sensed her awakening. He watched her from where he had been sitting in the shadows of the building, unable to take his eyes from her as she greeted the sun. He didn't know much about how humans judged such things, but to him she looked very beautiful at that moment. A scuffling sound from off to the side ruined the moment, however, causing her to tense and whirl. 

"Good morning, miss," Mr. Popo said, smiling at the young woman as he carried his gardening tools over to the flower bed running along the curve of the Tenka. The little man knelt down, murmuring to his plants in a language that only he remembered, touching each and every one as if they were beloved children. Intrigued, Kyrie stood behind him, watching as he pruned and watered, fertilized and weeded. 

"Can I help?" she finally asked, kneeling next to him. Popo smiled broadly and began to explain what he was doing. Kyrie nodded periodically as she moved to help him. Dende joined Piccolo where he was still hovering and watched the two work, a tiny smile playing over his face.

"Spit it out," Piccolo said gruffly. Dende's enigmatic humor was beginning to annoy him.

The younger Namek looked startled for a second then shook his head. "Nothing really. I was just thinking that you've found quite a unique young woman. She's unlike anyone else on the planet. Her mind seems to be more… advanced than the other humans."

Piccolo frowned at that observation. "Don't mention that to her, Dende. It'll only upset her. She's not comfortable with the differences between her and the rest of her kind." He unfolded his legs and rose to tower over his companion. 

Dende shook his head, giving Piccolo an aggrieved look. "I'm not that insensitive, Piccolo." He paused for a moment, considering. "But I was thinking you may want to train her in the mental disciplines. She has the potential." 

Piccolo's brow ridge quirked upward, skepticism all over his face. "And why, pray tell, were you thinking about that in the first place?"

Dende's face darkened as he squirmed with embarrassment. "I don't know why," he said slowly. "The idea just occurred to me and it seemed like a good one." 

"Hn," Piccolo grunted, eyes narrowed as he watched Kyrie and Popo laughing together. He knew that being Kami didn't grant instant omniscience. Sometimes the best the deity would get would be a vague presentiment and he'd have to figure it out just like everyone else. Being God wasn't all it was cracked up to be. If Dende had an idea that Kyrie might need the training, then he would go along with it. Besides, it wasn't like he was busy or anything. But it could wait until the gardening was done. 

Several days later, Kyrie was doing some warm up exercises in preparation for a good workout. She was feeling oddly confined here. She liked Dende-sama and Mr. Popo, very much in fact, and she also liked it here. But there was that nagging feeling of restraint in the back of her mind. Objectively, she supposed it stemmed from the fact that she just couldn't leave at will and she set herself to ignoring it. She was so wrapped up in her own mind that she didn't even sense Piccolo's approach. 

When the hand grasped her shoulder, she acted purely on instinct. She spun around, bringing her flattened hand up in a swift blow. Her eyes widened when Piccolo staggered back, both hand clasped over his dripping nose. Purple blood ran from between his clenched fingers to land on the pristine floor beneath his feet. 

"Son-of-a-bitch!!" was his strangled exclamation. The ruckus brought Dende and Popo running and Kyrie wished that she could just disappear. 

"Oh, hell…" Kyrie sighed, torn between embarrassment by her paranoid reaction and self-anger that she had injured her friend. "I'm sorry, Piccolo." The look he gave her was decidedly disgruntled, but he let her move his hands away from his face. Dende joined her in examining the injury.

"Nothing I can't fix," the young Kami said, trying to hide his amusement. Piccolo's expression was even more displeased now. A soft glow emanated from Dende's hands and lit up the austere planes of Piccolo's face. Seconds later, the injury was gone as if it had never occurred. 

Kyrie looked at Dende with new interest. "How did you do that?"

He shrugged, smiling. "A natural talent. It comes in handy in the company I keep." Piccolo rolled his eyes, sneering slightly.

"If I could interrupt the Q and A session?" Piccolo broke in, still a bit peeved. "I need a moment with you, Kyrie."

"Oh, okay…" she trailed off as he caught her by the arms and marched her away. Dende and Popo exchanged slightly smug grins as they watched them depart. Piccolo reached the edge of the platform, and without slowing, swept the girl up and stepped off the edge. A strangled gasp was the only sound she made. 

(Author's Notes: Well, you all asked for it and here it is! The first part of the sequel. Actually, this is going to be more of a short interlude before the actual sequel. But anyway, the idea remains the same. ^_^ And I think we all know that I don't own Dragonball Z or any of its characters. Kyrie is my creation however. Mine, mine, mine! ::blinks:: Not that I think anyone will abduct her or anything. Don't forget to leave me a review! And If you do, and you have anything posted I might just review you in turn! ^_~ Later!)


	2. Part Two: Bumps in the Path

Sharing the Dream

Part Two

Sequel to "Different Hearts, Same Dream"

A Dragonball Z fanfic

By Hana Noir

Kyrie's eyes widened when Piccolo stepped off into the blue sky and she slightly tightened her arms around his neck. She trusted him to hold her though, and remained mostly relaxed. Curiosity compelled her to look around and what she saw delighted her. They were so high in the air that the landscape below was reduced to miniature proportions. They flew over a city that looked like a child's toy complex and she laughed aloud. All the people below had no idea that they were even there. 

Piccolo smiled slightly at her innocent enjoyment of the flight. It had been a long time since he had even regarded it as anything other than a means of transportation. He liked to see her reactions to things he thought of as commonplace. It brought back some of the novelty of it all. 

"This is great!" she called out, the wind snatching the words away so quickly that only Piccolo's Namekian hearing could have caught them at all. Piccolo nodded, looking for something on the ground below. She looked down as well, wondering what he was searching for. All that was below them was endless miles of dense forest. "By the way, where are we going?"

"To train," was his short reply. She considered that for several seconds then nodded. 

"Sounds good to me," she shouted again as they began to descend slowly. They had left the forested area behind and the land below was mostly scrub brush and rocks, without so much as a Kwikee-Mart in sight.

__

You don't have to shout, Piccolo said mentally, his tone still a bit sour.

__

Oh yeah, she replied. _I forgot about that. Are you still mad at me?_ Her tone was hesitant as if she was worried about a positive answer. _I apologized…_

Piccolo could sense the underlying thoughts in her mind. She could shield fairly well, but he was able to bypass her crude mental blocks with ease. She was actually afraid that he was angry with her. He blinked, going beyond that. There was a subconscious fear of rejection lurking deep in her mind; he doubted that she was even aware of it herself. But, it wasn't just rejection in itself that she was so afraid of, it was rejection by someone that she cared about. He shook his head, returning to himself. It wasn't the time or place for this.

He landed in the dried grass, hearing it crunch beneath his feet. "I'm not angry with you," he said aloud as he swung her to the ground. "I'm angry with myself for being caught off guard like that."

Kyrie eyed him suspiciously, then nodded. "Okay. So, we're out here to train, huh?"

"Yes," Piccolo said, his cape fluttering in the warm breeze that stirred the slightly sandy dirt around them. "That and I wanted to start you on some new techniques. There's nothing to distract us out here," he grinned slightly, baring his fangs. "And there's also nothing to be damaged if we get a little rough." 

Kyrie began to grin as well, smirking at her friend. "Ooohh… rough, huh?" She stretched a bit and bounced on her heels, before sliding into a defensive crouch. "Bring it on, big boy!" She laughed as they began to spar. 

Piccolo held back, in deference to her lower level of power, starting with basic moves. He was smiling as she blocked his roundhouse kick and ducked beneath his reach to deliver a stunning uppercut. He stumbled back a few steps, then rushed at her so quickly that she didn't have time to dodge. He landed his fist in her stomach, and she crumpled, gagging. 

"Come on," he said mockingly. "You can do better than that, can't you?" She straightened up slowly, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Her green eyes were narrow and angry. Small pebbles beneath her feet began to tremble as she focused her ki. _Not bad,_ Piccolo thought, observing her performance objectively._ She's gotten faster at powering up. _ He blinked his eyes against the stinging grains of dirt whipping through the air. It was almost his undoing. When he opened his eyes again, she was in front of him. 

He blocked hastily as she began to punch rapidly. A kick slipped past his defenses to catch him in the ribs and he reflexively clamped his arm down, trapping her leg. She twisted against his iron grip, her free foot glancing off of the side of his face. Piccolo smirked. "What did I tell you about fighting a larger, stronger opponent?" He wrapped both of his hands around her ankle and lifted her overhead. He swung her light body in a complete arc before slamming her face first into the hard soil. 

He had leapt back when she impacted, ready for her next attack. But she didn't move from where he had dropped her. Relaxing slightly, he waited for several seconds, but she didn't so much as twitch. The first inklings of concern began to prickle him and he moved closer. "Kyrie?" No response. He knelt down next to her and reached out tentatively. He rolled her over and called again. "Kyrie!" 

Her eyes snapped open and a ki ball hit him dead center in his chest. Flung off of his feet by the impact, he landed several feet away. He could see the wicked grin on her face as he shook his head. She was trying to climb to her feet, but it was hard to do so when her leg kept buckling under her. 

"I got you good with that one," she said brightly, looking up at him as he loomed over her. He glared down at her, then noticed the odd angle of her leg. "But I'll have to concede this match." 

"Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?" he barked, kneeling down next to her again. It looked like the bone in the upper thigh was broken. He reached out, prodding the injury with delicate fingers, watching for her reaction. 

"I didn't notice it until I tried to stand," she replied, her eyes slightly glassy. Her voice was level and she remained calm. Too calm, in Piccolo's estimation. 

"Are you in any pain?" he asked. 

She shook her head. "Not really. Nothing I can't live with. I—" She broke off, staring up at the sky above them. Piccolo grimaced, recognizing the ki of the person streaking toward them. 

"Gohan," he stated as the youth landed near them. 

"Piccolo-san! I sensed a strange ki…" Gohan's eyes were as wide as saucers as he took in the odd sight before him. Piccolo and a – a girl?! "What happened?"

"I forgot to shield properly," the girl said, grimacing slightly. "I lost concentration. Stupid mistake." 

"Never mind that," Piccolo snapped, making Gohan jump slightly. "We need to get you treated."

The girl's eyes widened. "No hospitals!!" she gasped out. 

"Piccolo-san," Gohan said quickly. "There's a few senzu beans at home. Do you want one?" Piccolo looked down at Kyrie. Her face was calm, but he could see the sweat beading on her brow. There was also blood running down her face from a cut near her right eyebrow. Gohan's house was also closer than the Tenka. 

"What about your mother?" he asked. He knew full well that ChiChi had no great love for him. 

Gohan flushed slightly. "She's at Bulma's right now, visiting," he admitted. "She thinks I'm working on a school project." Piccolo couldn't help the knowing smirk that pulled at his lips. 

"All right then," he said, the decision made. "Let's get this splinted and we'll go to your house." 

"About time," Kyrie groused. "I'd've left ten minutes ago if I could've." Gohan gave her a decidedly odd look, but Piccolo merely grunted as he pulled off his heavy cloak. 

"Smart ass," he muttered as he used pieces of his cloak to wrap the injured leg. 

"Takes one to know one," she replied cheekily, not seeming to notice the broken bone at all. 

"This is too weird," Gohan mumbled to himself, thoroughly confused.

Five minutes later, they landed before the Son residence. Piccolo sat Kyrie down gently in the shade created by the house, leaning her back against the wall, while Gohan ran inside to find the magical healing beans. Piccolo wondered if she were unconscious, her eyes were closed and her breathing was remarkably even. He'd seen grown men, trained martial artists, sniveling like babies from such an injury. 

__

You okay? he asked telepathically, not really expecting an answer.

__

I've been better, was her honest reply. _So, that's Gohan. Nice kid. _

You're sure you're not in too much pain? He avoided the topic, unwilling to discuss it. 

Her lips quirked up in a sarcastic grin. _Yeah, that's one of the nifty little modifications they made to me. Enhanced endorphin system. I've got enough adrenaline and endorphins in my system right now to make me feel almost high. Guess a little thing like a broken bone can't slow the 'perfect soldier'_. 

Piccolo scowled at that comment, but before he could respond to it, the back door slammed open and Gohan pelted out, carrying a small jar. "I found them, Mr. Piccolo!" He held out the jar to the Namek, grinning. 

"Thanks, kid," Piccolo said, tousling his former student's unruly hair. He gazed down at his other student, contemplating. "That bone needs to be set first." Gohan's face turned pasty white.

Kyrie only nodded. "Okay. Do what needs to be done." 

Piccolo knelt down next to her, looking over the injury again. "Gohan, hold her down." She gave him an offended look, which was ignored. Gohan swallowed hard and knelt as well, blushing slightly as he grasped both of her wrists. She couldn't help but to grin at the embarrassed boy.

"Sorry," he muttered, avoiding her eyes. He turned his head to stare out over her shoulder, unwilling to watch what his mentor was about to do. 

"It's okay, kiddo," she said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She could feel Piccolo's hands grasping her leg, then there was a hard tug and a grinding sensation. She jerked involuntarily but Gohan maintained his tight hold. The pain stabbed, then receded when another flood of endorphins swept through her body. The chemicals made her head swim and her eyes rolled back from the sensation.

"Here," Piccolo's face moved into view and he stuck something into her mouth. Gagging slightly at the taste, she mashed the little bean between her teeth, finally managing to swallow it. Her head cleared instantly and there was a funny tingling sensation in her leg. Piccolo held out a hand to her and Gohan let of her wrists, sitting back on his heel. There was a funny expression on the young boy's face as he watched. 

Kyrie reached for Piccolo's hand, letting him lift her to her feet. She stood uncertainly, shifting from foot to foot, testing her legs. She blinked. The injury was completely gone, as if it had never happened. She smiled, then caught Piccolo's frown. Her spirits sank. He was not pleased with something. And she had the feeling that something was her.

"That was a careless mistake on your part," he said, not sparing her from his disappointment. "I don't waste my time training someone who doesn't take my teaching seriously."

She didn't know what to say. Yes, she had lost concentration, but it was still hard to hold sometimes. It was all still so new to her. "I—"

"No excuses," Piccolo snarled. "You need to think about what you want to achieve here. Do you want to be a weak human for the rest of your life??" Gohan's eyes were wide and he tried to make himself as unobtrusive as possible. What in the world was wrong with Mr. Piccolo? He'd never acted like this before. He could sense the anger from his sensei, but it was mixed with a terrible fear as well. Gohan didn't know what to think, so he just listened.

Kyrie's head jerked up at that. Green eyes spitting fire, she lost hold of her temper. "Well, EXCUSE ME for being human! Oh, wait, I'm not even really that, am I??" Her voice grew louder as she went on. "I made a mistake. It's not the first time, and it probably won't be the last time!! If you're looking for perfection, well, you won't find it here. If I'm such a poor student, maybe you shouldn't waste your time with an idiot like me!" She turned and stalked away toward the forest, not even looking back. Piccolo had his head down, so perhaps Gohan was the only one who saw the tears that had gathered in the girl's eyes.


	3. Part Three: Coming to an Understanding

Sharing the Dream

Part Three

Sequel to "Different Hearts, Same Dream"

A Dragonball Z fanfic 

By Hana Noir

Piccolo stared fixedly at the grass beneath his feet as Kyrie stormed away. The objective part of his mind knew that he had overreacted, but his emotions were in turmoil. There was no way to describe the way he felt when he had knelt next to her unmoving body. He felt the weight of Gohan's confused eyes on him, but he was in no mood to try to explain any of the situation to the boy. 

"Mr. Piccolo," he began hesitantly.

Piccolo cut him off brusquely. "I can't deal with this. Let her do what she wants." Power flared and the sudden wind whipped the leaves on the nearby trees as Piccolo shot off into the air. Gohan stared after him for several seconds, curiosity and hurt warring inside of him. 

"What in the world is going on here??" Gohan wailed in frustration. He took a deep breath and calmed himself. Maybe Piccolo wouldn't give him answers, but that girl was still around. He'd just ask her. Face determined, he turned and followed the path into the forest that she had taken. 

Kyrie didn't notice the thin branches slapping at her or the scratches that were accumulating on her bare skin as she forced her way into the woods. She had been hurt at first, then the anger had swallowed the hurt. Her lips were peeled back from her teeth in a mocking grin as she walked. She had been stupid. Her mistake had been trusting anyone in the first place. So he had saved her a few time, helped her out. Big deal. She'd've been better off packing up her capsule house and moving on when she had first encountered him. She had enough of people lashing out at her for her supposed mistakes. From now on, she was on her own. 

She thought of Dende and Mr. Popo a bit wistfully. It would have been nice to say goodbye. But they were Piccolo's friends, not hers. She'd never see them again. So, it really didn't matter after all. She paused, staring up at the enormous trunk of an ancient oak tree. The branches were huge, she thought as she reached for one. Without making a conscious decision, she began to climb. She kept going until she reached the very top of the tree and was rewarded with a stunning view. The forest spread out before her, going as far as the eye could see. Straddling the wide limb, she leaned back against the rough bark and tried to empty her mind. 

"Uh, hi." 

She swayed, arms windmilling frantically as she tried to keep her balance. "Crap!" She clutched at the limb between her legs and glared at the boy hanging in midair before her. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that, kiddo." 

"Sorry," he said without much sincerity. He floated over to straddle the branch as well, facing her. 

"Who are you? And why were you with Piccolo?" he blurted out, his face flushing slightly.

She couldn't help but to smile. "Nosy, aren't you?" He turned even redder, but gave her a determined look. "I'm Kyrie. And you're Gohan. Nice to meet you." She settled back again, closing her eyes. "And to be honest, I don't know what I was doing with Piccolo. I thought he was my friend." Her voice cracked a little on that last word and she quickly cleared her throat. One green eye popped open and she gave him a suspicious one eyed glare. "He didn't send you after me, did he?"

"Uhn-uh," Gohan shook his head. "I wanted to know who you were."

"Well, now you know," she said a bit shortly. "Anything else I can help you with?" He shook his head again, watching her warily. "You should go home, before your mom shows up." She smiled slightly. "I'd hate to be the reason you got in trouble." 

"Oh, uh, all right then," Gohan said. He still felt like he was missing a big section of the story, but he could tell that she wasn't going to say anything else. He levitated slowly, then hesitated. "Is there anything I can do?" he asked suddenly. 

Kyrie smiled again, this time a bit wistfully. "Not really, kiddo. But thanks for the thought." She closed her eyes and Gohan left silently, wishing that he knew what was going on. 

"Piccolo-san!" Dende met the older Namek as he landed on the Tenka. His face was set and angry, making Dende slightly apprehensive. He paused, and looked again. Piccolo was alone. "Where's Kyrie?" 

"Gone," Piccolo snapped, brushing past the startled deity and lowering himself to a cross-legged sitting position. His head popped up before Dende could open his mouth. "Don't ask. I don't feel much like discussing it."

"Pic-co-lo!" Dende said with no small amount of exasperation, separating the syllables of the name in an effort to calm himself. "What's going on? Don't tell me you just left her out in the wilderness?!"

Piccolo hunched his shoulders slightly. His subconscious was nagging at him as well, conjuring up images of what could be happening to the girl at this very moment. Dende was just re-enforcing it. Why couldn't he just leave it alone. It was really none of his business, anyway. He ground his teeth at the still palpable waves of confusion and self-doubt that were emanating from the link that he still shared with the girl. 

A small hand touched his shoulder softly, making his eyes fly open. "Is it really so hard to admit that you care for her, Piccolo-san?" Dende asked, his own eyes compassionate. Piccolo shrugged off the hand and rose to his feet. 

"I could deal with Gohan," he hissed, beginning to pace back and forth like an agitated tiger. "I trained him, served as almost a surrogate father figure. But it's different with the girl. She's not looking for a father. I don't know if I can be what she needs." Dende watched his friend pace, smiling slightly. "Gohan isn't so totally dependant on me either. He has a family, friends, other people he can turn to, depend on. He hadn't been so totally isolated from the world. Kyrie only has me."

"And now she doesn't even have that," Dende pointed out softly. Piccolo's eyes narrowed and he actually snarled wordlessly, fisting his hands so tightly that his pointed nails cut into his palms. "You panicked for a moment didn't you? The enormity of the responsibility was overwhelming, wasn't it?"

Piccolo whirled to face the smaller Namek, face angry and mouth open, ready to deny the statement. Then, he closed his mouth and considered for a moment. Dende had a point. She trusted him completely. When she had been injured today, she hadn't said a word. She'd just let him do whatever he wanted to, secure in the knowledge that he would do what was right. "Goddammit!!" he snarled, resuming his agitated pacing. 

The senzu bean had healed the injuries she had, but the emotional upheavals and the riot of chemicals provided by her own body took their toll. When the last of the endorphins dissipated, Kyrie simply crashed. She slept hard, propped against the sturdy trunk of the tree she had climbed. The night air grew chill and dew dampened her skin, but she wasn't the least bit aware of it. She began to dream and when the dreams turned dark and violent, she moaned aloud, shuddering. The part of her mind that was still aware banished the dreams before sliding down into a deeper sleep. 

Piccolo had finally relented, and had left the Tenka in search of the girl. He had been aghast when he had found her, sleeping in the top of an old tree. It was at least sixty feet tall and she was perched at the very top. "Little idiot," he muttered, watching over her from the air. He moved closer when she began to shake, worried that she would fall, but she only moaned softly before sinking into a deeper sleep. He closed his eyes and concentrated on their link. 

He found his way into her mind easily enough. She was strong, but not very well trained. He intended to remedy that at the first available opportunity. It struck him as slightly strange that her mental representation of herself didn't match her physical appearance. In her mind, at this moment, she was still very much a child. The little girl looked up at him with wide green eyes, hugging a tattered blanket to her narrow chest. 

"What do you want?" she asked, her high pitched, child's voice dripping with suspicion. He knelt down to bring his face level with hers. He moved slowly, knowing that she was watching him like a hawk. 

"To talk to you," he said quietly. 

She shook her head. "You don't talk to me. You just yell at me." She hugged the blanket tighter. "I don't like it when you yell at me."

"I'm not really good at talking to people," Piccolo admitted, able to be honest here. He dropped his head, unable to meet those clouded eyes. "Sometimes I act before I think." 

"You hurt me. You're the only person in this world with the power to do that." Her voice was different, older, and he looked up to see her as he was used to seeing her. She stood with her back to him, arms wrapped around herself. He rose to his feet, uncertain what to do or say next. "I wonder if you care enough for me to allow me to hurt you? Have you ever let anyone get that close to you? Do you ever get lonely, Piccolo?"

"I didn't think so," he replied. "I was always the loner, the person who didn't need anyone. But I know now that's not true." He sighed softly. "Now, I don't know what I want anymore. When I'm alone, I want to be with the people I consider my friends. But when I'm with my friends, I want to be alone."

"It's hard sometimes," she said, turning to face him, her green eyes candid. "I know. I've been there. It's hard to know how to act, what to say. Sometimes I act in ways that other people don't find appropriate. I can't help it. That's just the person I am. If I had grown up normally, I wouldn't be like that, I'd know what to say and do. But I'm having to learn as I go along. You're the same way." She gave him a tentative smile. "And you're used to denying your emotions, aren't you? Show no weakness. That's all you ever knew." 

"Yes." He relaxed slightly, his arms dropping to his sides. "And you came along and saw right through all that, didn't you?"

"If there's one thing I've learned in life, it's to never judge based on appearance. I know all too well that just because someone looks nice, that doesn't mean they are," she replied

"Life dealt us both a pretty sorry hand, didn't it?" he asked rhetorically.

She shrugged. "Yeah, but if you dwell on it, and let it make you bitter, then it's beaten you. That's why I try not to let it get to me."

"I was scared," Piccolo said suddenly. She stared at him, astonished by the admission. "I thought for a second that I had lost you again."

She smiled, this time a bit sadly. "But don't you see? By lashing out, you lost me anyway. So what's the difference? Death or distrust, they're both final."

"No!" he growled, reaching out to grasp her shoulders. "Don't say that!"

"Why not? Can you honestly tell me it won't ever happen again?" she asked relentlessly. His hands fell away and he turned his back to her, pierced by her words.

"No… no, I can't…" he whispered brokenly. A small hand rested gently on his arm, exerting light pressure to turn him to face her again. She stood before him, staring up at him in silence. Her eyes searched his face for what seemed like an eternity. 

"It's all right," she said, her voice soft. She reached up, stretching up on her tiptoes so that she could place her hands on either side of his face. He flinched slightly as her warm palm cupped his cheeks. The contact strengthened the bond between them, making words unnecessary. Their eyes closed simultaneously and Piccolo's hands found their way to circle her waist, holding her steady against him. _I understand…_

There was something soothing in her spirit, he thought, savoring the sensations as their minds met and united in a complete and total sharing. _I, too, understand at last,_ he spoke mentally. He felt almost bereft when she lowered her hands from his face. 

"It's almost dawn," she said, that gentle smile still on her face. "You should wake me now. I'm ready to go home." 

(Author's note: Anyone interested in being on a mailing list for update notification needs to email me. If you've already done so, please email me again or just do a review and tell me. If your review is anonymous, please don't forget your email addy! My mail server changed over and I lost all my emails, address book and everything . So, please drop me a line at hana_noir@planetnamek.org Thanks all! Hope you like it so far!

Also, thanks to Catesith18 for beta reading for me. Great job on your own fics, girl!! ^_^ Go and check out her stories, you won't be sorry!)


	4. Part Four: Conversation and Recriminati...

Sharing the Dream

Part Four

Sequel to "Different Hearts, Same Dream"

A Dragonball Z Fanfic 

By Hana Noir

She woke slowly, blinking her eyes and yawning widely. Then, everything that had gone on the day before came back to her and she sat bolt upright. Only her legs wrapped around the tree limb saved her from falling.

"Bloody hell…" Kyrie whispered, staring at the brooding figure before her. "I wasn't dreaming, was I?"

"No," he answered, his deep voice strangely hesitant. 

She stared at him, head tilted slightly, considering. "You know, I should act all mad and stuff, pull a guilt trip on you." She grinned then. "But I don't want to do that." She shook her head. "I don't think we're ever going to go very long without arguing. How about next time we get pissed at each other, we step back and wait before we shoot off our mouths?"

"Sounds good," he agreed, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. She shivered in the dawn breeze, rubbing at the goosebumps that popped up all over her exposed skin. A length of heavy white cloth landed over her head and she struggled out of it, eyes wide with astonishment. She couldn't help but to smile as she wrapped the warm, soft material around her shoulders. She inhaled deeply, the slightly spicy scent that she had come to associate with Piccolo surrounding her. "Ready to leave?"

She nodded, unable to speak. She slowly got to her feet, muscles protesting after spending all night in one position. He moved to her side, hesitating slightly before reaching for her. She wound an arm around his neck, nuzzling her face into his shoulder. He stiffened slightly at the feel of her skin against his, then pulled her closer. 

"You're going to teach me to fly eventually, right?" she asked mischievously as they rose over the trees. He nodded, thinking to himself that he'd miss using that as an excuse to hold her. 

"Among other things," he replied absently, cruising slowly so that he could draw out the moment. The sky was brightening all around them, turning the clouds all sorts of fantastic colors. It was quite beautiful and the day promised to be a gorgeous one. 

She lifted her free hand to brush aside the strands of hair that the winds of their passage had tossed into her face. Then, without really thinking, she reached out a curious finger to trace the almost delicate curve of Piccolo's pointed ear. He shivered convulsively, almost dropping her. 

"Wh - what the hell are you doing??" he gasped, breath escaping in short pants. He had never felt anything like that in his entire life. The simple touch had almost made him go weak in the knees. Eyes wide, he stared at the girl in his arms, wondering what had just happened.

"I'm sorry!" she burst out, a blush spreading across her cheeks. "I – I didn't mean to do anything wrong!" He shook his head, making sure his hold on her was firm, then put on a burst of speed and headed for the Tenka. Hopefully, he'd make it there before anything else weird happened.

Dende grinned widely when the two arrived at last. Mr. Popo said something about making tea and disappeared, while the young Kami waited to greet the pair. He gripped his wooden staff tightly as Piccolo landed, then hurried over to greet them.

"You found her!" he exclaimed with delight. Kyrie grinned as well, reaching a hand out to grasp Dende's. The Namek gasped aloud when he touched her. It was the oddest thing, but he could sense Piccolo _through _her! He eyed the older warrior uneasily, but Piccolo remained inscrutable. 

__

I wonder if either of them realize what's happened? Dende wondered. _Maybe Piccolo does…_ He shook off his concerns and welcomed them back cheerfully. Whatever the situation, he liked the human girl and was glad that nothing had happened to her. 

"I've tea ready," Mr. Popo announced, smiling widely. "And I've prepared a small meal for you, miss." He was quite fond of the girl that Piccolo had found and enjoyed her company when gardening. She brought a bit of cheer to the Tenka.

"Thank you," Kyrie said, bending slightly to give Popo a quick hug. "I'm starved!" She smiled at all of them as they went inside. Piccolo nursed a glass of water as she ate, grimacing slightly when Dende offered him a cup of tea. Nameks needed nothing but water to survive, but he had discovered that he liked the taste of tea. And as he suffered no ill effects from drinking it, he joined Mr. Popo for a cup every afternoon. His assistant was quite fond of 'tea time', and having someone to enjoy it with made it that much better. So Dende observed the pair over the rim of his tea cup, considering the new turn of events. 

His mind wandered, pondering over stories that he had been told by the Eldest Namek. Long, long ago, before the cataclysm that had almost destroyed their planet, there had been two genders in their species. But, after the events that almost destroyed their world, only Saichourou had been left. Determined not to let their race die out, he had found a way to reproduce asexually. Therefore, all Nameks were virtual clones of each other. Personalities may have differed from Namek to Namek, but on a genetic level they were all but identical. 

It was rare, but from time to time Nameks did pair off. It was more a matter of compatible personalities than any sort of physical attraction, but the pair usually acted as mates; living together and sharing the care and education of any offspring either of them produced. Those so paired always shared an unusually strong mental bond as well. It was regarded as a bit odd by the others around them, but not at all taboo. 

There had been such a pair in the village that he lived in, Dende remembered suddenly. Stihl had been a warrior, a strong and cunning fighter and one of the village protectors. Ahdri, his bondmate, was the exact opposite; a quiet, almost shy person who enjoyed working with the children and tending the Ajisa plants in the fields around the village. They had seemed quite happy together.

"— gone cold, sir." Mr. Popo's voice broke into his thoughts and he looked up, blinking in surprise. Piccolo was giving him an odd look as well. 

"I beg your pardon?" Dende asked, surprised that he had been so lost in his thoughts. 

"Your tea's gone cold, I said," his assistant repeated, gesturing at the cup Dende held cradled in his hands. 

"So it has," he said softly, sitting it down. 

Piccolo rose to his feet with an amused snort. "If you're going to be spacing out any longer, we may as well do something constructive with our time." He gestured for Kyrie to join him and strode out the door. Kyrie shrugged, grinning wryly and followed him. 

"Is there anything wrong, sir?" Popo asked, concern evident in his voice. 

"I… don't really know, Popo," Dende replied slowly. "There's something at work here that I don't quite grasp. Something that may, in time, prove to be of vital importance."

Piccolo folded his long legs and settled down on the polished floor as if to meditate, pointing to the spot directly across from him. Kyrie sat down as well, mimicking his position. "I'm going to use a mental transfer to teach you how to fly," he said. "And while we're at it, to teach you a few other things as well." She nodded, waiting for his lead. He stretched out his right arm, hand facing her. "Place your hand against mine." She brought up her left arm and placed her smaller hand to his palm. Without conscious decision, their fingers intertwined, bringing their hands closer together. 

__

Clear your mind, and concentrate on me, she heard in her mind. She nodded again, her eyes sliding closed as she began to block out the world around them. Her focus narrowed down to two points, his mind against hers and the warm contact of their joined hands. Her breathing was steady and slow, and Piccolo nodded in approval, his own eyes losing focus as he stared at an invisible point above her slightly bowed head. 

Dende came out to watch them, aware of the mental exchange going on. He could dimly sense it, but not well enough to know what they were doing. It was like listening to a radio in another room; he could hear the tone but the sounds were indistinguishable. Mr. Popo joined him a few minutes later, broom in hand. With only a brief glance at the immobile pair, he began his daily chore of sweeping the tiles. 

A miniscule rise in their ki made Dende look back. There was a faint yellowish glow surrounding Piccolo, echoed by a similar glow, purplish in color, around Kyrie. In perfect synchronization, their bodies rose to hover slightly above the tiles. A small smile pulled at the corner of Piccolo's mouth, while a look of determined concentration wrinkled Kyrie's brow. 

Dende lost interest several hours later when he realized that nothing else of interest was going to happen and he walked over to the edge of the platform to gaze down at the world below. A familiar ki was heading in the direction of the Tenka and he grinned in anticipation. It had been a while since he had seen his friend Gohan. No doubt he had sensed the fluctuations in Piccolo's ki and was coming to investigate. 

Minutes later, Gohan landed on the alabaster tiles, looking around suspiciously. "Hello, Dende," he said, seeming somewhat distracted.

"Is something wrong, Gohan?" Dende asked with a bit of concern.

The other boy shook his head. "No, not really. I just sensed…." His voice trailed off when he caught sight of Piccolo and Kyrie floating above the floor. "Oh," he said, frowning slightly. 

"You met Kyrie yesterday, didn't you, Gohan?" Dende asked, watching his friend's reaction. The half-Saiyan nodded, eyes hidden by his thick fall of bangs. 

"Who IS she, Dende?" he finally blurted out, unable to contain his curiousity any longer. 

Dende smiled; he could tell that Gohan was slightly jealous. But he also knew that it wasn't in the other boy to stay that way for every long. He was more curious than anything else. "It's a long story," Dende hedged. Piccolo really ought to be the one to explain all this to Gohan. Besides, he didn't really want to let slip any of his half formed theories at this point in time. The obstinate look on Gohan's face, however, told him that the boy wasn't going to leave without answers. 

"Mom's asleep," Gohan muttered, scowling slightly. "The baby kept her up all last night." 

__

Aha, thought Dende. _That's the main part of the problem. His mother, who's always been his alone, is distracted by the new child. And Piccolo, who's always been his only friend, has a new friend. Gohan's worried that everyone's forgotten about him. For all his power, he's still only a child, with a child's feelings and reactions. _

Before he could say anthing else, a burst of laughter distracted him. He looked over at Piccolo and Kyrie and saw the amused grin still on her face. A smaller version pulled at Piccolo's mouth as well. She opened her eyes and they slowly drifted back down to the floor. Still holding her hand, he stood, pulling her to her feet. 

"Think you've got it?" he asked, a hint of challenge in his tone. She smirked, focusing her ki and rising until her feet were even with his head. He snorted. "Anyone can hover," he said gruffly, secretly amused. 

She returned to the floor and glared up at him, eyes merry. Her hands rested on her hips and she retorted, "Well, if something is wrong with my technique, who's fault is it? I got it straight from you."

Piccolo snorted. "Don't get cocky. You know the basic technique, but you need to practice to refine it. When you've reached the point where it comes to you as naturally as breathing, then you've gotten it." 

She turned away from him. "Why don't we—" She broke off when she noticed Gohan standing there next to Dende. _I think someone's looking for you and he's not happy, _she finished mentally. _Poor little guy. _Piccolo was surprised by the degree of her empathy and looked over at his former student. He had to agree with her assessment. He was startled when she nudged his arm surriptiously. _Why don't you go and spend some time with him? I'll just putter around here, work on my flying. _

He shot her an annoyed look. _Stay above the Tenka. If you should go over the edge and lose control…_ He trailed off, unable to finish. 

The look she gave him was every bit as bad. _What do you think I am, brain damaged? Or just stupid? I do have some common sense. _

__

Precious little, he retorted sourly. Her mouth fell open and she swatted at him. _Ask Dende to help you._

"Fine, fine," she said aloud. "I'll just see you later then." She spun on her heel and headed back into the building. Piccolo made eye contact with Dende and he nodded, comprehending the unspoken request. 

"I've got a few things to do," Dende said, patting Gohan on the shoulder. "I'll see you later, okay?" Gohan nodded, still watching Piccolo silently. 

"C'mon, kid," Piccolo said as he strode past the boy. "I need a decent spar." The tall Namek stepped off the Tenka, his cape billowing out behind him. Gohan hesitated for a second, then a wide grin split his face and he jumped off after him. 


	5. Part Five: Helping Out a Friend

Sharing the Dream

Part Five

Sequel to "Different Hearts, Same Dream"

A Dragonball Z fanfic

By Hana Noir

It was after dark when Piccolo returned to the Tenka, somewhat the worse for wear, but looking quite satisfied. Kyrie was in the small kitchen, helping herself to the dinner that Mr. Popo had prepared. 

Popo looked a bit disappointed when Piccolo entered alone. "I had hoped that Gohan would join us," he said, clearing away the now unnecessary dishes and storing them away. 

Piccolo shrugged. "He was worried that his mother would be looking for him."

Kyrie grinned. "I'll just eat it all tomorrow, Mr. Popo. Your cooking is wonderful." The rotund little man smiled and began to clean the dishes. "Just leave those," she said, gesturing with her spoon. "I'll clean them when I'm done. It's the least I can do." 

"It's no trouble, miss, really." He tried to decline her offer but she remained firm and he relented. "Well, if you're sure…" When she finished, she rose from the table, and placed her dishes in the sink to wash along with the others. Piccolo leaned against the doorway watching her. It gave him a strange sense of contentment to see her here. He went back outside into the cool night air and stared up at the stars overhead. For the first time in a long time, he was satisfied with his life. He settled down with his back against the wall to meditate the night away, a small smile pulling at his lips.

__

MR. PICCOLO!!!

The burst of near hysterical panic startled Piccolo out of his meditations and his eyes flew open. He squinted against the glare of the early morning sunlight and tried to figure out what was wrong.

__

Gohan?

__

Mr. Piccolo! was followed by what sounded suspiciously like a sob. 

__

Calm down. What's the matter?

__

Something's wrong with Mom!! The panic was back, almost choking in its strength. _I – I came down for breakfast and I found her on the kitchen floor. She – she won't wake up!!!_

Piccolo got to his feet hastily as Kyrie ran out of the main building. Her eyes were wide and startled and she was wearing nothing but an oversized t-shirt. A pair of shorts were still in her hand. _I'm on my way, Gohan. Call Bulma, tell her what's happened. I'll be there shortly. _

__

O-okay… The boy's mental touch faded, but the panic still remained. Piccolo grabbed Kyrie by the wrist, ignoring her sputtered protests as they fell off the edge of the Tenka. 

"What happened?" she asked, holding her shorts tightly against the gale force wind raised by their flight. He gathered her in closer, shielding her from the wind with his own ki. "You were calm, then all of a sudden you were agitated."

"Gohan called me," he said grimly, pouring all of his strength into their headlong rush. "Something's happened to his mother." It took them only minutes to reach the Son house. The back door was wide open and they could hear Gohan's voice from inside. Piccolo strode in, taking in the scene at a glance. 

Chichi was sprawled out on the floor, a skillet near her outflung hand and scrambled eggs scattered across the floor. She was breathing slowly and there were dark, bruiselike circles under her eyes. Her face was drawn and pale and she looked as though she had lost weight. Gohan was kneeling next to her, holding her other hand tightly. His eyes were damp, but there was no sign of tears on his face. 

"She – she won't wake up," Gohan said, his voice quavering. He didn't look at them, but he had sensed their arrival. Piccolo placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder, earning a grateful glance. 

Kyrie had paused in the doorway to slip into her shorts, and now padded over barefoot to join them. She reached over to pick up Chichi's wrist, checking her pulse. It was steady and strong. She hmm'ed to her herself as she leaned over and placed an ear against the older woman's chest. Heartbeat sounded good. She started to reach for her face when Gohan's hand caught her wrist. Startled she looked up at the boy.

"What're you doing?" he asked, fierce protectiveness in his voice.

"Checking for any sort of injury, of course," Kyrie replied. "I've had a bit of medical training." She tilted her head, green eyes sympathetic. "I'm not going to hurt her, kiddo." Piccolo thumped Gohan on the head, making him wince and release her arm. 

"Sorry," he mumbled. She nodded and took Chichi's face between her hand, lifting the eyelids to check her pupils. They were normal, dilating when the light struck them. 

"It's not a concussion," she said, leaning back on her heels. "And all her vital signs are within normal range. I don't –" Her words were drowned out by the scream of an overhead jet engine, the piercing sound causing everyone inside to wince. Piccolo slapped protective hands over his sensitive ears and ground his teeth. He could see a hoverjet landing in the open space outside and two people exiting, making their way toward the house. 

Bulma burst in the back door, towing a tall, lanky middle aged man with a bristly mustache behind her. "Oh, Chichi!" she exclaimed, pushing past Piccolo and kneeling next to Gohan. She gave Kyrie a brief glance then turned her attention to her fallen friend. The man with her pulled a stethoscope out of the bag at his side and began to check over her vitals. 

A loud wail from upstairs made Gohan jump to his feet. Torn, he paused in the doorway when the doctor spoke. "I can't find anything physically wrong with her. Perhaps if we could move her somewhere more comfortable, I could work on bringing her around." He gawked, eyes bugging noticeably when Piccolo stepped up and smoothly lifted the unconscious woman up off the floor. 

"Put her on the couch," Bulma said, taking charge. "Gohan, bring some pillows and a blanket." She took another look at Kyrie. "And you, go check on the baby." She turned and lead the way into the living room. 

"Come on." Gohan tugged at her hand and she followed him mutely. When they were upstairs, Gohan opened a door, revealing a linen closet. He began to pull out what he needed. Kyrie stood by uncertainly. She wasn't sure what to do. She wanted to help, but she didn't know the first thing about babies. Gohan piled up the pillows and the blanket. "Goten's in there," he said, pointing to the open door down the hall. He hurried to take his load back downstairs, leaving a very befuddled young woman behind. 

"Well," she said finally, listening to the baby's whimpering. "I guess I can do this…" She entered the brightly lit, cheerful room, heading for the crib on the far wall. She peered over the railing at the baby lying on the mattress. She blinked. He blinked, then gave her a toothless, slobbery grin. Her heart melted. "Hi, little guy." She reached in, ruffling the spiky black hair. He grabbed her hand and tried to pull it to his mouth. When he discovered it wasn't what he wanted, he released it, beginning to whimper again. When no comfort was forthcoming, the infant worked up to a full fledge scream, his tiny face turning red. 

"Whoa, hey now, don't do that," Kyrie muttered, hesitantly reaching in to pick him up. She cradled him against her shoulder, holding him close. He grinned again, even cuter up close. She couldn't resist giving him a quick hug and he squealed, tiny fingers grabbing handfuls of hair. She winced when he pulled, but carried him back downstairs. Maybe someone down there would know what he wanted. 

When she entered the living room, Chichi was propped up against a small mountain of pillows, a blanket over her lap. Her eyes were open, but she appeared to be a bit groggy. When she saw Kyrie in the doorway, her eyes widened and a bit of color rushed into her wan face "My baby!" she exclaimed, struggling to rise. Bulma frowned and pushed her back down, jerking her head at Kyrie to move closer. 

"Lie still, Chichi," Bulma said firmly. "You heard the doctor. You're exhausted and you need to rest. Goten's fine." The look Chichi gave Bulma lacked its usual force and she sank back onto the couch. The baby had started crying at the sound of his mother's voice and Kyrie bounced him against her shoulder, not sure what to do now. 

"There are bottles made up in the refrigerator," Chichi said, knowing what her son wanted. Gohan hovered anxiously at the arm of the couch, clearly reluctant to leave his mother's side. Bulma eyed the younger woman with more than a bit of speculation, then accompanied her into the kitchen. She busied herself with starting the first bottle heating, then leaned against the counter, drying her hands on a nearby towel. 

"So, my name's Bulma, by the way," she said. "And you're?"

"Kyrie," she replied, feeling a bit nervous. These people had obviously know Piccolo for a long time. What if they didn't like her? 

__

Since when have I ever cared about anyone else's damn opinion? was Piccolo's response. She grinned wryly, knowing that he had a point. 

"Here," Bulma's voice intruded on their mental conversation when she handed a warm bottle to her. Kyrie supported the baby with one hand and reluctantly took the bottle. 

"Uh…." She hated to admit it but…. "Now what do I do?" The look on Bulma's face was pure astonishment. 

"You give it to the baby," she said slowly, speaking as if to someone of little intelligence. 

"I've never done anything like this before," she replied, gritting her teeth on the biting retort she wanted to give. 

Bulma blinked. "You're kidding." She shook her head. "No, I can tell you're not. Come on, I'll show you what to do." It didn't take long before Goten was nestled comfortably in Kyrie's arms, chugging away at the bottle. "That's all there is to it," Bulma said with a grin. "He'll probably want another one when he finishes that one, okay?" The girl nodded, a look of concentration on her face. Bulma checked on Chichi, who was dozing on the couch, before stepping outside to talk to Piccolo.

She found the tall warrior leaning against a tree facing the front door. "Bulma." He acknowledged her presence with a sharp nod of his head. 

She ran a hand through her fine azure hair and sighed, glancing back at the silent house. "I feel terrible," she said softly. "I should have checked on her more often. But I supposed I was wrapped up in my own life…"

Piccolo glanced down at her, feeling the same himself. "Yeah," he replied. He folded his arms across his chest and stared at the house. 

Bulma eyed him slyly and he began to feel a bit nervous. "So, when did you meet your friend?" she asked, amusement evident in her voice.

"A little more than a year ago," he replied shortly, hoping she would drop the subject. The curious gleam in her eyes told him that it wasn't likely. 

"She's… interesting," Bulma said thoughtfully. "Seems a little shy though. I can't believe she'd no idea how to handle the baby." She grinned at Piccolo's discomfiture. "Oh, don't worry so much. I won't bother her. And I'll quit asking questions. For now. I need to call my mother and let her know that I'm staying the night. Chichi needs the rest." She shivered when the wind blew down on them. "I wonder what the weather's going to be like tonight?" 

Piccolo looked up at the bright blue sky, considering. "It's going to be cold tonight. Might even see frost in the morning." 

Bulma shivered again. "I have no idea how to use that wood burning heater in there either."

Piccolo smirked. "I'll start it before it gets dark." He had noticed that the woodpile was rather poorly stocked as well. "I'll get Gohan and we'll bring in some firewood. He'll be better for something to do." 

Bulma nodded. "I'll fix Chichi a light lunch while you two are gone. Mind leaving your friend to help?"

He shrugged. "That's up to her."


	6. Part Six: Candid Discussions of the Un-...

Sharing The Dream

Part Six

Sequel to "Different Hearts, Same Dream"

A Dragonball Z fanfic

By Hana Noir

Bulma prepared Chichi some soup and crackers and brought it to her on a tray. She fussed a bit, insisting that she was fine, but Bulma was unconvinced. The two women chatted about people and places that meant nothing to Kyrie, so she amused herself with making faces at the baby, grinning when he laughed at her. 

"So, you're Piccolo's friend?" Chichi's voice caught her attention and Kyrie looked up from where she was sprawled on her belly next to the baby. 

"Yes," she replied, wondering at the slightly disapproving look on the older woman's face. 

"Hmf." Chichi snorted. "Maybe now he'll leave my Gohan be. I know he's been sneaking off to spar with Piccolo. I wasn't born yesterday."

Kyrie blinked, pushing herself up off of the floor. "What's wrong with that?" she asked, not knowing the can of worms that was about to be opened. 

"Everything!" Chichi shouted, almost knocking over the tray with the empty soup bowl on it. "My Gohan should have been a great scholar. Instead, he's been forced to fight, time and again. I don't know how many times I sat here waiting, not knowing if he or his father were going to come back alive!!" Bulma moved to sit next to Chichi, trying to calm her down, but it was no use. "I told his father that Gohan was not to fight! But he went off and got himself killed and **Piccolo**," she spat out the name with venom. "took my baby and I didn't see him again for a year! Then when I did get him back, he was in the hospital!" Her face was flushed deep red and she seemed about to explode. 

Kyrie shook her head. Chichi's emotions were overwhelming her mental defenses and she didn't want to experience any of them. Pain, terrible grief, loneliness, anger and bitterness swirled around her, touched with a lurid green tinge of jealousy. She got to her feet, trying to push the feelings back. Her head felt like it was about to split open and with a low moan of pain, she staggered for the door. 

Piccolo had been helping Gohan to stack the firewood they had collected when he felt Kyrie's distress. Her ki was rising in an effort to fight off something he couldn't sense, but he dropped the armload of wood and rushed to help her. He could feel her pain and confusion and his fangs bared in an unconscious snarl. Whatever had dared to hurt her would _pay_…

The front door crashed open and he tensed, ready for battle. To his surprise, Kyrie burst out through the door, clutching her head with both hands. He stopped and she ran straight into him. Breathing in shuddering gasps, she hid her face against his shirt. His arms instinctively folded around her, holding her close. "What happened?" he asked, fighting his temper down. His turbulent emotions would only make her that much more upset. Her hands fisted in the material of his shirt and he could sense her trying to rebuild her mental barriers. He took a deep breath, clearing his mind, then concentrated on their bond. His mind touched hers gently and she welcomed it in and together, they rebuilt the shields that had been so abruptly breached. 

She was calm by the time they finished, but she didn't move, keeping her forehead resting against Piccolo's broad chest. "I – I can't stay here any longer," she said, her voice quavering a bit. She pulled away from him, hugging herself tightly. "I'll see you later, okay?"

He nodded, not understanding what was going on, but willing to wait for an explanation. She smiled a bit wanly, then rose slowly into the air. When she had gained sufficient height, she shot off in the direction of the Tenka. Piccolo looked back at the house to see Bulma standing in the doorway, frowning. His eyes were like obsidian ice as he glared down at the human woman. "What happened, Bulma?" he asked, his tone suggesting that she'd best answer. 

Bulma frowned as well, glaring back over her shoulder. "Chichi went off on one of her rants again," she said dryly. "I didn't realize it would scare your friend so badly."

Piccolo snorted. "Hardly." He frowned again. "Kyrie's an esper. A powerful one. I understand what happened now."

"What?" Bulma asked, leaning forward, curiosity piqued. "She's a telepath?"

"Among other things," he answered shortly. Chichi had no mental control, so when she lost her temper, she had projected unshielded emotion indiscriminately. Kyrie had probably gotten the full brunt of the explosion. No wonder her shields had buckled. He could feel that she was still upset, but the further away she got, the more calm she was becoming. He turned his attention back to Bulma, who looked fascinated at the idea. "Don't bother her about it, Bulma," he said in warning. "She's had enough of being treated like an experiment. Just leave it alone."

Bulma flinched at the ice in his voice. He was as good as telling her not to even ask the girl about it. Or else. This protectiveness was different than the way he was with Gohan. Bulma couldn't help but to wonder what was going on in the stoic Namek's mind. "Maybe you should go and check on her," she suggested, hiding a smile at the flicker of concern that crossed his face. "She was pretty upset. And there's nothing here that Gohan and I can't handle."

He stared thoughtfully in the direction that Kyrie had gone off in. Bulma had a point. "Tell Gohan if he needs me, call me." She nodded, shading her eyes against the bright aura that flamed up around him as he took off. Grinning, she watched him rocket away, wondering if he realized how transparent his feelings for the girl really were. 

He found her by the stream where they had first met. It was too cold for her to enter the water, but she sat there atop the lip of rock that extended out over the pool, staring moodily at the water as it frothed over the little waterfall. She didn't bother to turn around when he landed, keeping her eyes on the water. He wondered that she didn't feel the cold, sitting there in nothing but a thin t-shirt and a pair of shorts. Kneeling down behind her, he placed a large hand on her shoulder. She placed a hand over his, but never moved. They stayed like that for a very long time, neither speaking. Finally, she turned to him. "I don't think I like human beings very much," she said, eyes dark and heavy. "If I never see another one, I'll live happy." He was taken aback by the vehemence in her voice, not knowing what to say. He sat down behind her, and she moved to sit between his knees, leaning back against his chest. 

"You know," he said slowly, the words catching in his throat. "You can't be alone your entire life."

She twisted around, surprise on her face. "But, I'm not alone! There's you, and Dende-sama and Mr. Popo. You're all my friends."

Piccolo closed his eyes briefly, feeling like a knife was ripping into his heart. "Someday, you're going to need more out of life than that." And he didn't know if he could handle the pain if she ever fell in love with some weak human. She shook her head, wrapping her arms around his waist and burrowing against him like a child. He took a deep breath; there was nothing childlike about the way she felt in his arms. He wrapped one arm around her waist, holding her close, while his free hand stroked her hair. She sighed, relaxing against him. 

"You – you don't want me to leave, do you?" she finally asked, looking up at him with more than a small amount of fear lurking in her eyes. 

"No!" he burst out, pulling her closer. _Never…_. He closed his eyes, almost unable to contain all of the strange emotions she stirred up inside of him. He stared down at her earnest face and did something that he never thought he would do again. He caught her face between his hands, running a gentle thumb over her slightly parted lips. Her eyes widened and a soft gasp escaped as he lowered his head to press his lips against hers. One hand made its way down her back to pull her closer as the other cradled the back of her head. She responded ardently, rising up on her knees and twining her arms around his neck. Her mouth was soft and willing beneath his and he struggled to contain the heat that was rising within him. He hadn't expected either of them to react like this. 

He pulled away first, gasping for breath. "We – we can't do this."

She blinked, trying to clear her mind. She had felt that kiss all the way down to her toes. "Why not?" 

He glared at her for not making this any easier than it had to be. How could he explain? Someday she would want things he couldn't give her. He had come to that abrupt realization when he had seen her playing with little Goten. She had seemed so happy, laughing and carefree. He couldn't deny her the chance to have her own children someday.

Kyrie tilted her head, staring up at him with no small amount of annoyance. "It is completely unfair that you can read my mind at any time you want, but I can't get any more than surface emotions from you." He stared at her, startled by her words. "So, answer me. Why not?"

He sighed, knowing that she was too stubborn to quit without getting an answer. "It just wouldn't work. We're too different."

Her brows drew together and her forehead knotted up as she thought hard. He could practically see the wheels turning in her head. Suddenly, her face lit up in comprehension and she gave him a wide eyed look. "You mean, we're not physically compatible?"

Piccolo sighed, a long suffering sound. He had forgotten that she had no sense of what was acceptable to discuss and what was not. Being raised as she had been, she had an almost childlike naivete about some things. He really didn't want to go into the details, but he didn't want to lie to her either. "I never said that." 

"But you implied it," she pointed out reasonably. She leaned back from him, watching his face carefully. 

He decided that, in this case, honesty truly was the best policy. "I'll explain," he said, sighing again. "It's not that we can't be… physically intimate." He paused for a moment, mortified that he was even discussing, never mind considering such a thing. "But there's no point in it."

She frowned. "I wasn't aware that there **was** a point in having sex. I thought it was something that was done as an expression of feelings."

__

Dende, you're an evil little bastard, he thought sourly_. I'll bet you're up there laughing your ass off right now._ "It can be," he finally got out. "But the main purpose of a male/female relationship is procreation."

She still had that slightly befuddled look on her face, as if she didn't quite get what he was driving at. "So?"

He hung his head for a moment, wishing nothing more than anything to be anywhere else, not having this conversation. "So, Humans and Nameks aren't genetically compatible." Maybe now she would understand.

"But what does that have to do with anything?" Kyrie asked, now completely unable to follow his reasoning.

"Everything!" Piccolo surged to his feet, hands thrown up in exasperation. She scrambled to her feet, watching as he paced back and forth. He was scowling darkly, plainly irritated. "I can't give you children, Kyrie."

She planted her hands on her hips, her scowl as fierce as his. "You big idiot! When did I ever say I wanted children with you? Or anyone, for that matter??" He paused, staring at her as she began to yell at him. "You think too much, Piccolo! I'm barely able to be responsible for myself, let alone a child!!" She paused for a moment, another question coming to her. "Besides, where did you get an asinine idea like that anyway?"

"Watching you with Gohan's little brother," he admitted. "You seemed to be happy playing with him."

She snorted in exasperation. "I'm happy sparring with you, but that doesn't mean I want the shit kicked out of me on an hourly basis! Just because a person enjoys something doesn't mean they want to do it forever. It was something new. I'd never even so much as touched a baby before this morning!" She hung her head, rubbing her temples with her fingertips. "Ye gods, trying to follow your convoluted thought processes has given me one hell of a headache…" 

He grinned then. "Taxed your little brain, did I?" The dirty look she gave him rendered the hand gesture unnecessary, but it was a nice touch. He couldn't help but to laugh; he liked it when she was feisty. 

She gave him a look that was decidedly thoughtful. "You and I, we're not the kind of people that end up with the white picket fence, mini-van and 2.5 children, you know." He nodded, accepting her point. She stretched up on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck and hug him tightly. "And I wouldn't want it any other way. Why don't we just take things as they come?" He smiled at that, putting his arms around her as well. The stood like that for several seconds, before she shivered all over. "Can we go home now?" she asked plaintively. "It's cold, and I've missed breakfast **and** lunch." A gurgling sound from her stomach emphasized her words. 

He swept her off her feet, smirking at her surprised gasp as he shot off above the treetops. "I can fly on my own," she reminded him, green eyes wide at his behavior. 

He held her even closer, the smirk widening. "I know." She regarded him with no small amount of astonishment before, smiling slightly, she relaxed against him. 


	7. Epilogue: Don't Get Too Comfortable...

Sharing the Dream

Epilogue

Sequel to "Different Hearts, Same Dream"

A Dragonball Z Fanfic 

By Hana Noir

Dende grinned from his seat high above the Earth. It seemed that there was more than a mental bond between Piccolo and Kyrie. And his friend wasn't exactly sure what to do with the new feelings he was developing for the human girl. He turned away from the edge, giving them the privacy to discuss matters between them. He was more concerned with the vague nagging presentiment that was plaguing him again. How long he was lost in his thoughts, he didn't know, until –

"Dende-sama!" Mr. Popo's voice pulled him out of his musings and he looked up to see him approaching with Korin and Yajirobe. None of them looked very happy. 

"Is there something wrong?" he asked, all frivolous thoughts chased away by their solemn expressions.

"You could say that," Korin said in his raspy voice, glancing around. "Where's Piccolo? He'll want to hear this too."

"He's not here," Dende said, frowning. "I'm not sure when he'll be back, either."

Yajirobe snorted, smirking. "What? Does he have a hot date or something?" His eyes almost bulged out of their sockets when Piccolo sailed over the edge of the Tenka, an attractive brunette cradled in his arms. He sat her down gently, narrowed eyes on Yajirobe, and the obese swordsman swallowed down the frigid lump that had just lodged in his throat. 

Korin grinned slightly and strolled over to be introduced. "Long time, Piccolo. Who's your friend?"

Piccolo inclined his head slightly, acknowledging the minor deity. "Korin, this is Kyrie." She smiled and nodded, reaching out to shake the paw he had extended. He shook her hand, eyes widening when he actually touched her. He shot a quick look at Dende, who nodded slightly. "Korin is the person who grows the senzu beans," he added, not missing the by-play between the two.

She smiled then. "Well, I owe you my thanks then," she said. "I had to use one a couple of days ago."

Korin grinned, releasing her hand. "Glad to help such a pretty lady." He sobered then, staring up at Piccolo. "But I'm not here on a social call. We've got a problem."

Piccolo tensed. "What kind of problem?"

Korin rolled his eyes. "The world threatening kind. Do we ever have any other?"

Piccolo acknowledged that fact with a wry grin. "You have a point. So what is it this time?"

Korin smoothed his whiskers idly. "Something the likes of which none of you have ever dealt with. The last time this happened, over two-thirds of the earth's population was lost."

Kyrie stepped closer to Piccolo, subconsciously seeking comfort. She didn't like the way this sounded at all. Every instinct she had was crying at her to run and hide. She trembled slightly from the sensation. A warm hand rested on her shoulder, calming the panic urges she was having. She flashed a tentative smile up at Piccolo for his support. His face was graver than she had ever seen it, and that troubled her even more.

(Author's Note: Okay, so this story arc was purely character development. So, did I get it done without getting anyone too OOC? The next story should have a lot more action. The next story arc, entitled "Mind Games", is already in the works. I've almost finished with the prologue.

Thanks go out to my prereader, Catesith18 and to Deaku for helping me out with all those little DBZ facts and discussing words in various foreign languages. And of course, thanks to EVERYONE who read and reviewed. You guys are the best! Without your comments and encouragement, this would be just another piece of random data on my hard drive! ::grin:: So stay tuned for further developments. Any comments? Any questions? Any criticisms? Anything? E-mail me or look me up on AIM. I'm always haunting cyberspace. ^_^ Ja, minna!)


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